The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-02-11
THE KIhfBALL GRAPHIC,
eY G. q. TINAN.
Game Protection.

| 0v Ss ~. btNAN.
Came k'rsteetlon.
A bill for an improved game law ha.
been introduced in the legislature which
provides that prairie chickens, partridges,
pheasants, quail, woodcock, plover.
| snipe, curlew, wild ducks and wild geese
can be shot only between the 18th Of Aug
ust and the 18th of November. Such a
! measure would practically prohibit
quail, duck and goose shooting in this
part of the territory. The penalty for
each violation Is from $40 tn 500 and
the forfeiture Of the gun and game.
Gun clubs throughout south Dakota
should protest, without delay, against
the passage of this measure. II II be.
comes law 1t will amount to absolute
prohibition. 1ankton Press and Dako-
taian.
The bill. We believe, was introduced by
Mp. Galloway. OF Fargo; and though not
exactly perfect. is step in the right d.
rection. and all honor to him for intro
ducing any bill that has for Its object the
outstanding of an important food supply
OF the people or the commonwealth and
the preservation Of the means Of health.
lul recreation.
We would be pleased to have the Press
show wherein the measure will amount
to absolute prohibition" IL it becomes .
law. We would be pleased to know in
just what months Of the year the most
game Is slaughtered in the vicinity Of
Ysnkton. Is 1t In May. June, July and
August-during the breeding season-or
is 1t after the ponds. lakes and marshes
are frozed over, after the migratory
game has gone south and the native game
Is counting up the few survivors as ba-
sis ON which to compute the next sea-
sons supplyf Does the Press believe in
the killing ofprairie chickens prior to
Aug. 15-when but half growns Does it
believe in the killing of game during the
nesting seasoni Does it advocate spring
shoot:ng3 To sum it all up, does it
want the game Of Dakota exterminated. !.
II certainly has that appearance. We
are free to admit thai the provisions of
the bill above referred to are. possibly,
more stringent than at first may seem
necessary; but to one familiar with the
operations of game laws and the results
in the eastern states during the past ten
years. bill equally as stringent may as
well become q law now--aye, better
than later when the people en- nsasss and
the Press will demand the most sweeping
laws possible for the protection of the
game of Dakota-that it hasn't got and
never will have again. Such a law will
be of no use then. 1t will be too late.
The goose that laid the golden egg will
have beer killed. The horse will have
been stolen. In proof Of our position we
but ask review of the history Of the
eastern states in the matter of game pro-
lection. For years they have had all
manner of laws. good. bad and indif1er-
ent. seeking the protection of game, but
in spi te of every effort in that direction
game ia almost extinct in many Of them,
simply because the laws were not enacted
soon enough. The Ohio legislature first
enacted law prohibiting the killing of
ducks between Apr. 1st and Sept. 1st.
Then 1t amended 1t so as to confine the
shooting Of certain varities to Sept. 1st
to Jan. LIST. and tho last legislature fur
ther amended the law by combining the
killing of ducks to but three designated
days in the week during that time. Quail
shooting has at last been restricted to
but thirty days in the year. but after
the game has become almost extinct,
through lack Of proper laws and pro-
tcction-as Is the case In Ohio-legisls.
tion is powerless to restock the depleted
fields and streams. Any good game
county in Dakota to-day contains more
game than the whole state of Ohio. 1,
was not always so. The writer can re.
member localities in that state where q
bag Of forty quails day was no uncom.
mon occurrence and whore now one
could not find one of the little brown
beauties in week. The same is true Of
ducks, snipe. woodcock. etc. In othe,
states It Is equally as bad. Take lows
for instance. q state that . few years az.
Furnished prairie chickens by the thous
ands. They were so plentiful that al
determination OF them seemed well nigi
impossible. To-day the successful pur
suit of them is confined to the extrem,
western portions OF the state, and eacl
year the supply diminishes. This b..
been the result Of poor laws and the non
enforcement Of those enacted. Not onl,
do these things operate to the detrimen
OF the game supply, but each year find
the number Of those who find the rod o
gun the best and most healthful means O
recreation. largely increased. II is saf,
to say that there are to-day ten men VII,
hunt where ten years ago there was one
In Dakota this proportion might truth
fully be stated as being ten fold create
yet. Each year finds the necessity o
wise and efficient game laws more and
more needed.
| While all the states have had for year
very stringent laws for the protection o
game. Ills not until recently that an.
movements have been made toward tn,
enactment Of laws abolishing sprin,
shooting. These movements are tn,
outcome Of constant effort in that di
rection by that great sportsmens' paper
the American Field, and gradual awak
ening Of the people to the fact that NOR
stringent laws are prime necessity t,
preserve the game from total extermina
tion. We are pleased to note that SOM
such feeling has permeated the anthor o
authors Of the bill above referred to
thankful that there is one member Of tn
legislature Ut least interested enough Ii
something outside Of jobbery and scheme
for the benefit of certain localities I,
introduce bill. which, while it may no
be of vital importance to the territory, i